


Little Princess

by The Auld Triangle (Sir_Thopas)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Always A Girl!Loki, Arranged Marriage, F/F, Loki Does What He Wants
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-02-22 08:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2501180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sir_Thopas/pseuds/The%20Auld%20Triangle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There had never been two people as different as Loki and Sif, and yet the young warrior couldn't help but admire the princess. She did not allow herself to be cowed by the men around her and Sif loved her for that. But when Odin proclaims Loki to be of marriageable age, allowing any noble the right to ask for her hand if they can manage to defeat Thor in battle, Sif knows she can no longer sit idly by.</p><p>From the Norsekink meme.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Sif stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, shifting from foot to foot. She had no idea what she should do or what was expected of her; it was like being dropped down into a foreign country. In a way, the princess's quarters  _ was _ a world unto itself and ruled by a tiny little thing with big green eyes. There were dolls everywhere and pink pillows and lace curtains and -  _ oh, dear Odin _ \- even a tea set. Sif changed her mind; this place wasn't a foreign country. It was Hel.  
  
"Because of your treason, I, Queen Loki, have sentenced you to death!" The little girl bellowed. She waved her hand to cast a spell over her dolls, making them jump up and down and cheer. "Do you have any last words?"  
  
Amora was barely holding on to her little sister by her waist. With a huff, she lifted the toddler up and proclaimed, "You can't kill me! I have a baby! What would she do without her poor mother?"  
  
"Loki," Frigga called out, her guiding hand resting gently on Sif's shoulder. Probably to keep her from fleeing. "Stop playing for a moment and come here. You remember Sif, don't you, darling? She has been to court several times with her mother before. She has come to be your new companion."  
  
Loki looked her over critically, one hand on her hip. "I  _ guess _ you can play with us. You can be the princess.  Amora is an evil magician who has put a spell on you to make you sleep. I am very sad about this, of course, because I am the queen and your mother.  Sigyn is the king and she's your father. She's sad about it too, I suppose."  
  
A little blonde girl grinned and nodded shyly from where she sat on the bed. "Me and Loki have to save you!"  
  
With a serene smile, Frigga turned and left, closing the door behind her and abandoning Sif to her fate. "Why can't  Amora cast a spell on her?" Sif asked plaintively, gesturing to the toddler in  Amora's hands. "I can be a knight and rescue her! I used to sword fight with my brothers all the time. They weren't real swords, of course, just sticks we found, but I'm pretty good."  
  
Loki laughed meanly. "You can't fight magic with swords, stupid! A real mage could melt your sword with a spell and then where would you be? Don't worry, Mother will teach you all about that," she said, flicking her black curls over her shoulder. "That is why you're here, right? To learn  seidr from Mother and rub elbows with your betters? Your family isn't powerful enough to find you a good husband without our help. You're just another charity case, like  Amora."  
  
Amora swiftly ducked her head as Sif bristled. She could feel her face grow hot with anger and embarrassment.  
  
"Loki!"  Sigyn protested, a look of shock crossing her sweet face.  
  
Loki ignored her, however, and gestured to the floor. "Well? Aren't you going to lay down and pretend that you're asleep?"  
  
Sif didn't bother answering, just turned on her heel and stormed out. There was no way she was going to put up with that, princess or no.

* * *

Sif wandered around the gardens, still stewing over what Loki had said. The worst part was that Loki was right, about all of it. Her parents were noble, of course, but too far down the line to ever hope for a good match for their only daughter. So, they had pleaded their case to the Queen, who agreed to tutor her. To be a lady-in-waiting to the princess was certainly a step up. If only they had thought to ask Sif what she wanted!  She didn't want to learn magic or weaving and she certainly didn't want to be friends with the likes of Loki.

"HAH! Take that!"  
  
Sif perked up at the sound of clashing metal and followed the noises deeper into the gardens. There she spotted the crown prince, Thor, striking at a tree. The sword in his hand was light and dull, a child's plaything and not a real weapon. Still, excitement filled her heart at the sight of it. "Can I play?" Sif asked as she stepped into the clearing.  
  
Thor stopped in mid-strike to look at her. "Aren't you Mother's new student? Shouldn't you be with Loki?"  
  
"I don't really want to learn magic or play with dolls. I'd rather fight! Can you show me how to use your sword? You look like you know a lot!"  
  
Thor preened at that. "I  _am_  pretty good. My teacher, Volstagg, says that I'm the best student he's had in centuries. Here, let me show you how to hold it."   
  
Thor took her hands and showed her how to properly grip the weapon, directing her towards his most hated enemy- the dastardly pear tree that bore the marks of many great battles. A suitable punishment, Thor claimed, for bearing the worst flavored fruit in existence. No one noticed the little face in the window, watching them from high above.


	2. Chapter 2

Everyday after lessons, Sif would slip away from Loki and go down into the gardens to play with Thor and  Fandral. Together, they would pretend to be great warriors fighting invisible monsters and battling whole armies for the safety of the kingdom. She knew her mother would be angry if she found out that she was snubbing the princess, but in all honesty she didn't care. Loki was mean and annoying. She could keep her dolls, Sif had  bilgesnipes to kill.

"The  Jotun army lies just beyond this tree," Thor whispered to his friends. "On the count of three we'll rush them and take them by surprise. One... Two..."  
  
"THOR!"  
  
Sif winced as Loki's cry rang through the gardens. Thor scowled, but he still immediately turned to face his baby sister rather than ignore her plaintive wails. "Loki, what are you doing out here?" He demanded, annoyed that his game had been interrupted.  
  
"I hate you, Thor! Sif is supposed to be my friend! You're not allowed to steal other people's friends!"  
  
"Sif is my friend too," Thor insisted. "You have to learn to share, Loki."   
  
"But  _ you _ never share with  _ me_." Loki stamped her little foot. "It's not fair that Sif always wants to play with you."  
  
"I'm not going to play stupid, baby games," Sif said, annoyed that once again no one seemed to bother asking her what  she  wanted.  
  
Loki pouted at that and folded her arms. "Then I'll play whatever you all are playing. Give me a sword."  
  
Thor shared a glance with his friends before all three of them busted into laughter. "Loki, you can't play with us. You're just a little girl," Thor explained gently.  
  
"Sif is a girl."  
  
"Yes, but you're a  _ real _ girl," said Thor.  
  
Sif frowned, unsure of whether to feel insulted or pleased. On the one hand, she liked that the boys thought so highly of her, but on the other she didn't want to be thought of as not a real girl. And what was wrong with being a girl, anyway?  
  
"Besides, we'll be crawling through the mud and dirt, and Mother will be angry at me if I let you ruin your dress," Thor continued. "Why don't you go find  Sigyn or  Amora and play with your dolls?"  
  
"No, I want to play with you and Sif!" Loki insisted. "If you don't let me I'll cry and then Father will make you play with me."  
  
"Oh, just give her a sword,"  Fandral said. "She won't shut up until you do."  
  
Thor looked aghast at such a suggestion. "I'm not going to give my little sister a sword! She could hurt herself!"  
  
"They're not even sharp."  
  
"That doesn't matter! Loki, I am your elder brother and your future king, you will obey me!" Thor commanded. "Go back to the palace!"  
  
"No!" Loki shouted and with that she threw herself on the ground, mere seconds away from a full-blown tantrum.  
  
"What now, Your Highness?" Sif asked dryly.  
  
Thor sighed. "Fine, you can play with us. Go over to that rock. You're the princess and the  Jotuns have captured you. Wait there until we rescue you."  
  
"That's it? How is sitting around supposed to be any fun?" Loki asked, pulling herself up and putting her hands on her hips.  
  
Sif smiled cruelly, feeling a sense of poetic justice at this sudden  turn of events. "You heard Thor. You're the princess. Well? Aren't you going to sit around and wait for us?"  
  
Loki scowled and stamped her foot again. "Fine. I'll wait," she spat out before stomping over to the rock.  
  
Thor, Sif, and  Fandral ducked back behind the tree. "On the count of three," Thor began again "One... Two... Three!"  
  
The three of them leapt out from their hiding place and charged, screaming and waving their swords wildly in the air, only to stop in amazement at the sight Loki had created for them. She had enchanted the fallen leaves to rise up and swirl in vaguely humanoid shapes, creating real enemies for them to fight, not just the make believe creatures they had envisioned. "You are too late, brother! The  Jotuns have made me their queen!" Loki crowed from where she stood on the rock. "I have decided to join them against you and take over  Asgard!"  


For a moment, Sif and  Fandral could do nothing but stare at the enchantment with delight before giving out a loud whoop and launching themselves at their enemies. They swung their swords through the 'Jotuns', tearing the leaves into shreds. Thor, however, just looked upon his sister in horror. "LOKI! You can't be the villain!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because you're my sister and a princess and a lady! Villains are horrible and ugly! You shouldn't even want to be the villain!"  
  
Loki rolled her eyes at her brother. "Thor, it's just pretend."  
  
"Ha! I caught you!"  Fandral announced as he jumped on the rock beside Loki. "Now, are you going to come quietly or do I have to strike you down?"  
  
White hot anger flashed through Thor's body at the sight of  Fandral pointing a sword at his sister. Before he knew it he had launched himself at his friend, hitting him with fists and feet and elbows while Loki screamed and Sif tried to pull him off. It was only when he heard his father's voice bellow his name and felt his strong hand pull him upthat he came back to reality.  
  
"What is the meaning of all this?" Odin demanded.  
  
Thor looked around. Loki had pulled the hem of her green kirtle up over head, hiding her face and exposing her white linen chemise. Her little shoulders shook with muffled cries. Sif stared hard at the ground, trying to hide the sword he had given her behind her back. Meanwhile,  Fandral sat in the dirt, crying and holding his bruised face. "I wasn't really going to hit her!" He wailed. At that moment, Thor wished the earth would open up and swallow him whole.  
  
"We were playing and things got out of hand," Thor answered meekly. "Fandral said he was going to strike Loki and I attacked him. I'm sorry."   
  
Odin sighed, casting his eye over the children, and spoke, "I understand that you wanted to protect your sister, but you have hurt your friend and must make amends. Go inside and wait for me. I will deal with you after I've seen  Fandral to the healers." Thor nodded and slunk away, shooting one last sorry look at his friends behind him. "Sif, give me that sword. Girls should not play with boys, this is how accidents like this happen. Take Loki and go inside; I'm sure the Queen can find you something to occupy yourselves with."  
  
Sif watched with a broken heart as Odin walked off, one hand guiding  Fandral and the other clutching her precious sword. Loki still had her head buried in her dress beside her. Sif swallowed down the anger she felt at Odin and Thor and the unfairness of the world, and gently touched Loki on her shoulder. "It's okay. You don't have to cry-"   
  
Loki let her kirtle drop and for the first time Sif could see that what she had thought had been sobs was really laughter. The little girl was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her pale cheeks. "You are a monster!" Sif hissed and stormed off, leaving Loki alone in her wake. It was the worst day of her life and the princess was laughing!

* * *

Sif woke up the next morning feeling as though there was a large, black stone resting heavily on her stomach. There would be no more games with Thor, no more swordplay. She had nothing to look forward to. She would learn magic and embroidery and how to look pretty so that she might one day catch the eye of some nobleman, then she would marry and be shut away in a house to have babies until she was a dried up husk of an old woman whom no one listened to or cared for.  
  
With a sigh, she forced herself out of bed and made her way to Queen Frigga's chambers where she would begin her day's lesson. When she finally entered she saw that Loki,  Sigyn and  Amora were already practicing their enchantments while the Queen looked on.  
  
"Sif, what are you doing here?" Frigga asked as a benevolent smile graced her face. "You better hurry to the training yard; you don't want to be late on your first day."  


Sif stared up at the Queen in confusion. "I... I'm sorry, I don't understand."  
  
"Loki told me that you might be happier studying under  Volstagg. I've spoken with the All-Father and he's agreed to let you train as a warrior." Her beatific smile grew positively shark-like, leaving Sif with very little doubt as to the power she wielded.  
  
Sif looked over to where Loki was studiously ignoring them, her pretty green eyes refusing to so much as glance in Sif's direction. "Thank you," she said, to the both of them even if Loki did not acknowledge it. Then she was flying through the palace to where Thor and  Fandral were waiting.

* * *

Sif wiped the sweat from her brow as she wearily trudged towards the palace. Her muscles protested the movement, but to Sif the ache felt good. It meant that she was on her way to becoming a true warrior.  
  
"Hello."  
  
Sif looked up to see Loki leaning against the wall, idly brushing the hair of one of her dolls. She looked almost shy, but Sif knew that it was some sort of trick. Loki was many things, but shy was not one of them. Still, Sif was feeling rather indulgent and magnanimous; after all, if it wasn't for Loki she wouldn't be allowed to train at all.   
  
"Loki. I wanted to thank you for speaking with the Queen on my behalf," Sif said.  
  
Loki shrugged nonchalantly, as though her gratitude meant little to her. "I was tired of hearing you sigh all the time. It is very distracting. Some of us are trying to learn, you know."   
  
Sif felt her lips quirk into a smile as she swooped down to give the tiny child a peck on the cheek. "I'm sorry I called you a monster. You're a good friend, little princess."  
  
Loki looked up at her with wide green eyes before bursting into a fit of giggles and running off, her black curls bouncing behind her as she went.


	3. Chapter 3

Sif adjusted her breastplate for what had to have been the tenth time that morning as she stood outside the princess's quarters. She knew she was being ridiculous; there was no reason to feel nervous around Loki. Or, at least, there was no reason to feel nervous _most of the time_. Some of the time. As long as her ire had not been provoked, she might even be called friendly. With a half-muttered chastisement, Sif straightened her back and gave a swift knock to Loki's door, striding through at the princess's command to enter. 

Loki was seated before the fire with her handmaidens, Sigyn and Amora, embroidering delicate things that Sif had no use for and discussing whatever it was that ladies of their station talked of. As far as Sif knew, they could be discussing their plans for world domination. Or how to bake the perfect pie. Their world was a mystery to her. After all, Sif was not exactly welcomed since she had become a warrior and a knight of Asgard. It wasn't proper. Of course, propriety had never stopped Loki before. For all she looked like the perfect lady, Loki had never cared for society's rules, but on this subject she was overruled. Sif was no man, and yet she was not considered a full woman either. She couldn't be, not if she wanted to sleep in the barracks and ride gloriously into battle. Sif could not spend her time embroidering if she wanted to be accepted by her fellow knights, and Loki could not visit the warrior's hall if she did not want her honor and chastity called into question. And the All-Father, dear thing, still believed Loki to be in possession of both of those things. 

"Sif, I am pleased to see you," Loki said as she pushed her needle through the kerchief. Loki always had a way of saying such things to leave you wondering if she truly was pleased or if she was only mocking you. Friend or no, it drove Sif mad at times. "I feel like the only time we meet is when you're delivering some message from Thor." 

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to be disappointed yet again," said Sif as she came around to Loki's side. The princess had grown into a beautiful woman and the warrior could not help the way her eyes swept over the soft-looking skin of her breasts that were nestled within the bodice of her dress. "Thor is embarking on an expedition into the Grey Mountains to hunt trolls. It will be a good training exercise for that apprentice stone cutter Volstagg picked up- Hogun. He has grown skilled this past year; I have no doubt that he will succeed in his quest. But I digress. Thor has called for a feast tonight in honor of the expedition and he wishes for you to attend."

"Of course I'll be there. Anything for my dear brother." Her words were sugary sweet, but they curdled inside Sif's stomach. Loki was planning some mischief, she just knew it. She only hoped she might manage to escape unscathed. It had taken years to regrow her hair to its proper length after Loki had cut it all off that one time. But, to be fair to the princess, Sif could count on one hand the number of times Loki had made her a target. She had a soft spot for the warrior, it seemed. The same could not be said for her brother. "Will you be going on this expedition as well?" 

"Yes, and Fandral and Volstagg." 

"Perhaps I will give Fandral my favor," Loki mused, causing Sigyn and Amora to break into giggles. "I could give him this kerchief I am making. He could wear it under his armor, right above his heart. What do you think, Sif?" She lifted up her embroidery to show the warrior. 

Whereas other girls might embroider pretty, little flowers or songbirds, Loki had decided on a rather unique subject to practice her womanly crafts upon. "You have stitched a penis," Sif remarked, trying to hide the amusement in her voice. 

"Oh, but it is a rather good penis," Sigyn protested. "I find the likeness remarkable." 

"Still, the message is not exactly subtle, is it my princess?" 

Loki smiled wide at Sif's question. "Yes, but subtlety is often lost on you warrior types. You may leave my presence now. I must return to my work if I wish to finish by tonight." 

"I will see you at the feast then." Sif turned and walked out, hoping that obscene kerchiefs were the only tricks Loki had planned for tonight. She did not want to be around when the princess decided to really shake things up.

* * *

Sif sighed. For the most part, she enjoyed Loki's little pranks when she could watch them from afar – and when she did not lose half of her hair in the process – but the way Thor's face fell when he realized his beloved little sister was not going to attend his feast felt like a knife had been twisted into her heart. Whatever Loki was planning, it had better not cause Thor any pain. There were few things in this world that made Thor happier than earning the approval of his sister, and Loki not bothering to see him off on his quest was like a slap in the face to him. 

"Volstagg, have you seen the princess this evening?" Thor asked when the party had reached that particular point during the night when everyone was tired but no one wanted to go home. Most of the guests were either passed out drunk in their chairs or had managed to crawl under the table. "She promised me she would be here." 

"Nay, I am afraid I have not, though your sister is not known for her promises." 

"Yes, Loki can be so fickle about such things," Thor sighed. 

"Aye, fickle that's the word," Fandral agreed amiably before leaning over to whisper into Sif's ear, "Though 'liar' is also an apt description." 

Sif pushed Fandral away and stood up, slapping the sad-looking prince on the shoulder. "Come, Thor, it is late and we must rest if we want to ride out on the morrow." 

Thor nodded despondently and followed his friends out of the great hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm finally getting around to posting the rest of this. Way back when, I had fixed up this chapter and had done quite a bit of reworking only to end up losing all of my hard work. I was so mad that I couldn't stand to look at this fic for months. And then I forgot about it. Oops.


	4. Chapter 4

Thor did not see Loki the morning he was to leave and it was with a heavy heart that he mounted his horse and rode out onto the Bifrost. Before every adventure he always made sure to say goodbye to his sister and wish her well. It had become something of a tradition, one that Thor cherished. He liked the idea of Loki waiting for his return, delighting her with trinkets and presents he had picked up during his travels. Not that she had ever expressed much appreciation for the animal hides he brought her, still he liked to pretend. Thor shook his head and leaned over to run his hand along Gladr's neck in hopes of soothing the beast. The stallion ignored him and continued to pull and tug against his reigns. It was clear he was unhappy about something, but Thor could not fathom the reason. 

It was not until after Heimdall had granted them passage to Vanaheim that Thor discovered the cause for his horse's distress. He felt a thin pair of arms snake around his waist and he jerked back on the reigns in surprise, causing Gladr to rear up. Thor struggled to stay on and shifted in his seat to throw whatever creature that had ensnared him off his steed when he heard a familiar laugh ring out. "Be calm, bother!" 

"Loki!" As soon as Gladr settled, Thor turned to look at his sister, who was sitting astride the great horse behind him. No doubt she had cast one of her charms to shield herself from them and Heimdall. "What are you doing here?" 

"I've come to help you, brother," she answered glibly. "Last time you came home with a broken arm that you had been nursing for nigh a week. If you had someone skilled in the magic arts in your company you would not have had to suffer so." 

"Be that as it may, this is no place for you," Thor ground out. For once in his life he wished she would just obey him. Was he not her future king? Most times she acted as though his word meant as little as a common servant's. 

Loki stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. "But I'm wearing armor and everything!" She removed her hands from his waist and lifted them up to show him the breastplate and horned helm she had adorned herself with. 

He heard more than saw Sif ride up beside them. "And you're wearing a gown," the warrior said, her expression both exasperated and incredulous. "You didn't even put your hair up. How foolish! It would make the perfect hold for an enemy to grab onto." 

"I have magic," Loki sniffed, flipping her black curls over her shoulder. "No enemy can touch me. If long hair is such a concern then why do you not cut yours off, my dear Sif? I seem to recall having done you the favor once before when we were children and got naught but grief for my trouble." 

Loki's voice held a dangerous edge and Sif made a note to bar her door at night lest the princess decide to re-enact that particular prank. 

"You are right about one thing, sister," Thor interrupted. "The enemies will not be able to touch you because you are going home." 

Loki brought her arms back around her brother's waist and squeezed. "If you don't let me play with you I'll cry and then Father will make you." 

"I am fairly certain Father will lock you in your room for at least a century for this." 

"All the more reason to keep silent and let me stay. I just want to help you, Thor," Loki pleaded, her green eyes going soft and tender as she stared up at him. "I hate to see you in pain. What if you were mortally injured? It would wound me to know that you had died when I could have prevented it." 

Thor had never been able to withstand the honeyed words of Loki Silvertongue. Sif could almost see the exact moment when the prince's resolve crumbled and his heart melted beneath his sister's cloying sweetness. "Fine, but you are to remain in camp. You will not – under any circumstances – join in the hunt. If we are waylaid on our way to camp by trolls or any other manner of creature then you are to take Gladr and flee as far as you can." 

"Yes, of course, brother," Loki spoke, her voice dripping with sugar. It made Sif want to roll her eyes. 

"And Fandral will remain with you at camp in case you are attacked there." 

At that Loki frowned, her eyes flitting to the blond warrior. They were hard and calculating; more true to the princess than the demure creature she had pretended to be. "I do not need a guard." 

Thor gave his sister a sly, smug grin that would look more appropriate on Loki's face than his. "Do not think of him as a guard, sister. Think of him as a companion who will protect you with his life, for that is what will be forfeit should any harm befall you," he answered. 

Fandral gave out an awkward laugh at Thor's joke, or what he hoped was a joke. "Do not worry, we will have a splendid time together, Princess," he called from his horse. "We'll leave Thor and the others to get bashed around by trolls while we lounge in comfort. Have you ever seen the sun set on Vanaheim? It is breathtaking, one of the wonders of the Yggdrasil." 

Thor narrowed his eyes at his charming friend. "On second thought, Sif will stay behind to protect you." 

The unhappy expression on Loki's face melted away. She seemed quite pleased at this sudden turn of events. Sif could not say the same. She might enjoy Loki's company, but she did not want to sit idly at camp like... like a _woman_. "Great, just great," Sif muttered, shooting a glare at the princess who preened atop her brother's horse. Loki was going to make it up to her for missing such an adventure, of that Sif was sure.

* * *

"I know you must hate being left out like this," Thor quietly said to her as he and the others were saddling their horses in preparation for the hunt. "But this quest is for Hogun, and Volstagg should be there to accompany his student, and Fandral..." Thor shifted his gaze to where Fandral and Loki were sitting by the campfire. The man was leaning into the princess, his fingers brushing her hair behind her ear as he flirted. Loki regarded him with dark amusement and if Fandral had any sense in his head he'd start barring his door at night too. "Well," Thor continued. "I would not trust him to safeguard my sister's innocence." 

It took every bit of control Sif possessed not to laugh at the mention of Loki's 'innocence.' Thor could be so blissfully naïve about some things, especially if it involved his little sister. "Do not worry, Thor," Sif assured him. "I will make sure she doesn't get into any trouble." 

Thor barked out a laugh. "No single warrior could ever hope to manage that! It would take a whole army! Her safety is all I ask. Alright, men! We must head up the mountain pass while there is still daylight!" 

"Off at last!" Fandral crowed as he leapt to his feet, slinging his arms around Volstagg and Hogun. "They shall sing songs about this! They will call us the Warriors Three!" 

"Oh? And what of me?" Sif demanded. 

"Warriors Four just doesn't have the same ring." 

"Enough talk, we must hurry if we do not want to stumble up the side of a mountain in the dark," Thor commanded as he lifted himself onto his horse. "Loki, I would tell you to be good if I thought you might obey me. So I beg of you, try not to cause Sif to worry too much." Thor smiled down at his sister. 

"You are the one heading into danger," Loki reminded him. "Perhaps you should learn to take your own advice?" 

Thor grinned, pleased at the unexpected show of caring from the princess. "You needn't worry about me, sister. A few trolls is hardly worth the adventure. I will see you tomorrow evening, goodbye." 

Sif and Loki watched as the four men rode off down the trail and towards the Grey Mountains. As soon as they were out of sight Loki jumped to her feet and dusted off the dirt from her skirt. "It is not often that I find myself saying this, but Thor is right." Loki flashed her companion a mischievous grin. "We really should hurry if we want to reach our destination by sundown." 

Sif could have said she was surprised by Loki's deception, but lying was the domain of the princess, not Sif's. She had suspected Loki of ulterior motives the moment she revealed herself to the party. "We are not going anywhere." Sif's voice was sharp and offered no room for argument as she set herself down before the fire and withdrew her sword from its sheath to sharpen it. Not that it needed it, but it looked to be a long night and Sif must find some way of feeling useful. "We will wait here until your brother returns." 

"Since when did you obey the commands of any man?" 

"I obey the commands of my prince, as should you." 

Loki waved off her statement as though it was nothing but an annoying fly. "We will not be going far from camp. Only about two miles. I promise you there will be no trolls of any kind, nothing that will put me in danger. Or perhaps you actually would prefer to stay in camp, safe and protected like a real lady for once," Loki said, her mouth twisting into something like a smile, but not quite. As though she knew exactly what Sif would say to that. "In that case I have brought my knitting needles. Perhaps we could darn socks while we wait for the menfolk to return." 

"Enough!" Sif barked out. The princess was obvious in her manipulation. She knew she was allowing herself to fall into Loki's trap, but the words rankled the warrior. She knew it, Loki knew it, and so there was no reason to bother denying it. At the very least, Loki's plan was bound to be more interesting than sitting in camp. "I will play your game. Where exactly are we going?" 

"There is a house at the base of the mountains, home to a powerful witch by the name of Medea. They say she murdered her own children in revenge against her philandering husband." 

"Why would we seek out such a monster?" 

"She has a book of spells in her possession. Inside are many old, powerful incantations that have long been forgotten. I want it." 

Sif couldn't help but laugh fondly at that. For all Loki's tricks, she could be so predictable sometimes, at least for someone who knew her as well as Sif. "Of course you would want a book," she said as she mounted her horse. "I knew this all couldn't have been for Thor's sake." 

Loki grasped Sif's hand and allowed the warrior to pull her up. "I am perfectly capable of multitasking. It is possible for me to both fetch a book and look after my brother. I'm just killing three birds with one stone." 

"Three?" Sif asked. "What's the third purpose of this trip then?" 

Loki snaked her arms around Sif's waist, much lower than proper in the warrior's opinion. Not that she would complain. "Oh," Loki teased. "You'll find out."


End file.
